Senator-elect Woodburn teams up with Councilor Burton to offer tour

DALTON — Although not yet sworn in, the North Country's new State Senator Jeff Woodburn, a Democrat of Dalton, has teamed up with District 1 Executive Councilor Ray Burton, a Republican of Bath, to invite newly elected state Senators and Executive Councilors for a tour of the region. Woodburn served as one of Burton's interns back when he was a college student at Franklin Pierce.

"It's important for these new leaders to understand our culture and landscape," Woodburn explained in an e-mail exchange. "We have a unique relationship with government and how it is delivered across a rural and mountainous terrain."

The group is an equal mix of three Republicans and three Democrats, but Woodburn still hopes that a few more invitees will join the group.

The Saturday, Dec. 1 tour, will include stops at Cannon Mountain in Franconia Notch State Park, the up-to-75-megawatt biomass-fired Burgess Biopower plant now under construction in Berlin, the Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital (UCVH) in Colebrook, SPNHF's Rocks Estate and Christmas tree farm in Bethlehem, and a reception with community leaders at the Omni Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods.

"The stops are built around specific projects and legislative initiatives, all aimed to give a full perspective of the North Country," Woodburn pointed out. "Key issues will include the proposed $1.1 billion Northern Pass Transmission project, distribution of the nine-percent state Rooms and Meals tax, establishing an equitable formula for helping to fund rural, critical-access hospitals (with 25 or less beds), and improving the economy and expanding job opportunities."

Confirmed participants include: District 4 Executive Councilor-elect Chris Pappas, a Democrat of Manchester; and State Senators-elect Andrew Hosmer, a Democrat of Laconia, John Reagan, a Republican of Deerfield; and Andy Sanborn, a Republican of Bedford.

Outgoing District 1 state Senator John Gallus, a Republican of Berlin, hosted seven state Senators on Aug. 22, 2011, who toured both the state and federal prisons and enjoyed a noontime barbecue in Jericho Mountain State Park put on by former state Rep. Paul Ingersoll of Berlin, followed by an ATV ride, all in Berlin.